GROWTH BY DIVISION
From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 1993:
Many and perhaps even most cause-oriented
groups go through splits as they grow––and in the long
run such splits tend to advance the cause, as strong
individuals create multiple influential organizations,
whose differences produce public debate and attract
support from diverse directions. Among the more
noteworthy splits in animal work:
• Division within the Sierra Club produced
Friends of the Earth (1955); a similar rift at Friends of
the Earth produced Earth Island Institute (1968).
• Division within the American SPCA and
American Humane Association created the Animal
Welfare Institute (1951), the Humane Society of the
U.S. (1954), and Friends of Animals (1957).
• Splits within HSUS created the National
Catholic Humane Society, now known as the
International Society for Animal Rights (1957), and the
Fund for Animals (1972).
• A 1986 split within Friends of Animals led
indirectly to the formation of the Doris Day Animal
League (1987) and Spay U.S.A. (1990).
• People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
cut loose numerous regional affiliates in 1986, many of
which are now successfully independent.
• A split at the Animal Protection Institute
led to the creation of United Animal Nations (1987).
•The Animals’ Voice (1986), Emagazine (1988)
and ANIMAL PEOPLE (1992) all debuted after splits
at The Animals’ Agenda.
